Chapter 17

Miles from the Capitol, Damian and his dissenters convened for a secret meeting. The group operated independently, without the consent of the SR or the droid legion. Convicted of war crimes against the SEA and still wanted for treason, Damian led the new rebel force, which had boldly adopted and continued the name "Shadow Republic" and claimed its right to power. 

One week before the election, rumors began to circulate that they had captured Victor and Samantha Stone, along with several leading SEA officials.

Unfortunately, those rumors were true. Damian, a former special forces operative for the SEA, was aware of a secret bunker located miles west of Aura Prime. While the UAR focused on overtaking the Capitol, Damian's rejected dissenters surrounded the bunker, patiently awaiting the frightened and desperate dictator. When Victor Stone arrived with his now weakened security team, they were swiftly outmatched. Damian's forces easily dispatched the guards and captured Stone and his wife within minutes.

They spent the night torturing their captives, trying to uncover the whereabouts of other SEA leaders. A few names were revealed under the pressure, but the night was far from over.

The following night, an angry mob of several hundred SR loyalists gathered in the woods at an abandoned building. Inside, they erected a large guillotine and tied up their prisoners. It was as if a sick curse had descended upon them, dragging them back to the Dark Ages of brutality. Simple torture was not enough; merely shooting them would not satisfy their primal, violent urges. In the dimly lit building, they chanted and yelled, calling for the blood of Victor and his regime. 

Damian Cole stood up and silenced the mob, the blade of the guillotine raised high in the air, awaiting its release of terror. Samantha and Victor stood at the back of the stage, masked and bound in handcuffs, held back by guards.

“For decades, we have lived in sickness and poverty. We have been enslaved by the power and corruption of these animals,” he declared, his voice booming. “They lived a life of luxury at our expense, dancing and partying as our city lay in ashes and ruin.” The crowd roared as if thousands were in the room. The walls shook, and the mob inched closer to the stage, with the guillotine looming ominously in the center. 

“We will no longer be subject to a tyrant! We will no longer pay for your vain and lavish lifestyle. Today, Victor Stone will bleed out every drop of blood as a token of revenge for his vile crimes! Today, his head will roll, and justice will be served at last!” Damian raised his fist into the air, and the mob mimicked him, their fervor igniting further. 

Men brought Victor forward, a bag over his head as he fought against his captors. The collective mind of the mob had receded into madness. Their blind hatred for evil was intoxicating. They cheered and hollered as they rested Victor’s neck under the guillotine, calling for his head to roll. It was as if his death were some grotesque sporting event.

Then they removed Victor’s mask, ready to unleash the deadly blow.

Hiding atop the building, James and Sentra waited patiently in the dark. The team had been secretly observing the mob and was prepared for extraction. The operation was simple yet delicate. They had to save Victor and his wife; even though they were the enemy, they knew that such an act of violence would lead to complete anarchy and chaos. Anything could happen amidst the frenzied mob. Just before the extraction, Sentra handed James the stone. 

“James, I think it’s best if you use the stone. I’ll disable the guillotine; just hold tight to the stone and don’t let it go.” 

James clenched it in his fist, feeling its incredible power surge through him. The guard below reached for his ax. Just as he reached back to cut the line Sentra and James descended from the roof. Sentra grabbed the massive blade with her hands just as the rope was cut, preventing it from falling. The crowd roared in anger, and rushed the stage violently.

James landed in the center of the stage, surrounded by droids. As he hit the ground, gunshots fired, hitting him in the chest. However, the stone unleashed a wave of energy, knocking the mob in front of him to the ground, and healing the wound. The stone continued to resonate, emitting a terrifying and powerful sound that thrust Damian to the ground.

“It’s over, Damian. Put the gun down,” ordered Shade.

"Long live the Shadow Republic!" Damian shouted, pulling out a gun and firing at James. The bullet struck the stone, sending it flying across the building. Someone in the mob grabbed it and fled as several droids chased after them. The mob regrouped, retaliating almost instantly, and several shots rang out.

James Shade was shot several times by Damian and members of the mob. He fell to the ground, clutching his side, helpless. After a few moments, he lay dead on the stage, surrounded by a pool of blood. The mob descended upon his lifeless body, brutally beating what remained of him. 

Sentra and the droids attempted to fend off the massive and ravenous crowd, but it quickly became clear that their efforts were futile. They were completely outnumbered. Forced to retreat, they fled through the far side of the building and into the fleet of ships waiting outside. 

Victor Stone and his wife, Samantha, were captured by the droids and managed to survive the chaos, ultimately being flown out safely. As the droids returned to headquarters with the devastating news of their failure, they realized they hadn’t even been able to retrieve James's body. They left him there to be ravaged by wolves and the most vile of bloodthirsty criminals.

[UAR Capitol Building] 

Sentra arrived at the Capitol, where the team was still buzzing with the energy of their recent victory. They debriefed, taking Victor and his wife, Samantha, into custody amid a flurry of activity and hushed discussions. But as Sentra made her way to the far side of the building, carrying the difficult news she was about to deliver.

Entering Ava's room, Sentra found her and Paul caught in a moment of joy, their laughter a warm contrast to the chill creeping through the corridors. They were leaning in close, sharing a private joke that filled the air with lightness, a stark reminder of the humanity they were fighting to preserve. But as Sentra stepped inside, the laughter abruptly ceased, and an oppressive silence fell over the room like a shroud. The bright atmosphere dimmed. Paul and Ava could feel the tension coiling in the air, ready to snap.

"Ava, something terrible has happened," Sentra said, her voice steady yet laced with an undeniable gravity. "James has been murdered by Damian Cole and the mob. We tried our best to save him, but we were vastly outnumbered. I am terribly sorry. We have failed the Republic."

Ava froze, her expression blank as if the words had stripped her of color and vitality. The room, once alive with laughter, now felt suffocating, the walls closing in as she processed the devastating news. Seconds later, tears began to trickle down her cheeks, carving paths through her makeup, and her hands trembled as if her very body was reacting to the emotional shock.

"What? How?! Where is he? What about the Resonance Stone?!" Ava exclaimed, her voice sharp and filled with righteous anger, a warrior’s cry echoing against the encroaching despair.

"They seized the stone," Sentra replied in a calm, measured voice, her heart heavy. "We are sending a large force to retaliate and retrieve his body, as well as the stone, but we were gravely outnumbered during the operation."

"You just left him there to be tortured by those animals?!" Ava's voice rose, rising like a storm ready to break. She stood, her body tense, confrontational, and Paul instinctively moved closer, his presence a stabilizing force as he gently placed a hand on her arm.

"I understand your anger, Ava. It is justified. We have failed. I am terribly sorry," Sentra said, her tone sincere, yet she felt the sting of guilt wash over her.

Ava's fury quickly crumbled, dissolving into desperate sobs as she sank to the ground, her shoulders shaking with each breath. Paul tried to keep her upright, his face etched with concern as he knelt beside her, his presence a comforting anchor amidst the tumult of emotions. The room, once bright with laughter, was now enveloped in a somber and harrowing atmosphere, echoing Ava's despair. Sentra remained silent, a witness to the raw display of grief, allowing Paul to comfort Ava as she wept.

After several minutes of tears, Ava finally struggled to compose herself, taking shaky breaths as she wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand, her resolve beginning to harden.

"Well, is there still hope? Could we get back the stone and revive him...?" she asked, her voice quieter now, almost pleading.

"Ava. I do not think that is possible..." Sentra's heart ached as she spoke, knowing the weight of her words.

A long moment of reflection settled in the room, heavy with the unsaid and the unimaginable. Finally, Ava gave in, her shoulders slumping under the weight of her grief. "I can't be here. I need to go home for a while," she said, her voice calm yet hollow.

"Okay," Sentra replied softly, her heart breaking for her friend. "I can send for an air taxi. Although I would prefer it if you were not alone during this difficult time."

With that, Sentra stepped back, and Ava fled the room, her heart heavy with a blend of grief and anger.

Soon, the air taxi arrived, and Ava stepped inside, the door closing behind her with a soft hiss. The taxi glided over the city, the urban landscape sprawling beneath her like a silent witness to her sorrow. As she soared over the forest, the trees swayed in a gentle breeze, yet Ava felt no comfort in the tranquility outside; her mind was tumultuous, echoing the devastation she had just left behind. 

When the taxi touched down at the Chateau, Ava took a deep breath, steeling herself for the sight that awaited her. She walked slowly up the entrance stairs, each step feeling heavier than the last. The doors stood ajar, smashed open from the chaos that had unfolded. Inside, the grandeur of her home was shattered; the paintings that once adorned the walls were ripped and shredded, their fragments strewn across the marble floor like the remnants of her dreams. Statues lay in piles of rubble, once proud figures now reduced to mere memories.

The library, her sanctuary, was a chaotic mess. Books were scattered across the floor, their pages torn and open, as if they, too, were lamenting the loss. Shelves had been overturned, the once organized chaos of knowledge turned into a violent tableau. But despite the destruction surrounding her, Ava felt a numbing detachment settle over her. She walked directly to the abandoned shelf of wine, her fingers trembling as she grabbed one of the remaining bottles.

Finding a tattered sofa, where she had first given James a kiss, Ava sank down, feeling the weight of her grief crash over her like a wave. She uncorked the bottle and took a long sip, the bitter taste mingling with her tears as they began to pour out uncontrollably. A torrent of guilt and shame enveloped her, suffocating in its intensity. Images of their last meeting flooded her mind—James's laughter, his unwavering courage, and the memory of him trying to save Victor. The thought of his torment at the hands of the mob pierced her heart like a dagger. How could she have allowed it to come to this? 

Ava sat in the dark, ransacked room, surrounded by rubble that mirrored her shattered spirit. She ruminated on the past, wishing desperately for a different ending. If only she had been there to help him, to protect him from the chaos that ensued. If only... 

Suddenly, a sound broke through her reverie. There was an electric energy that filled the air, reminiscent of the air taxi but amplified to a menacing degree. Her heart raced, and she stood up, drawn to the doorway as the sound grew louder. To her astonishment, the entity she had encountered before materialized at the threshold. It stood there, an imposing figure shrouded in mystery, yet Ava felt no fear this time.

The entity moved toward her slowly, a serene presence in the chaotic aftermath of her home. Without uttering a single word, it reached out its hand, revealing the Resonance Stone, its surface shimmering with an otherworldly glow. Peaceful emotions washed over Ava as she took the stone from its hand, an overwhelming sense of calm mingling with her grief.

As she peered into the stone, anticipation ignited within her. The faint image of James and Sentra on the roof of the abandoned building flickered into view, their figures caught in a moment of bravery amid the chaos. Ava's heart raced as she caught sight of the guillotine below, its menacing silhouette stark against the night. A harrowing chill ran through her, and she felt an overwhelming sense of dread, as if the weight of their impending fate pressed heavily upon her.

"Oh, I can't bear to watch this," Ava whispered, her voice trembling as she forced herself to look away from the stone. But the dark figure remained silent, its presence unwavering, instead pointing toward the stone with an almost gentle insistence. Hesitantly, Ava turned back to it, her heart pounding in her chest, tears pooling in her eyes.

As the scene played out before her, a chilling dread enveloped her. She watched in horror as James fought valiantly against the mob, a defiant spirit standing against overwhelming odds. But soon the tide turned, and the crowd descended upon him like a pack of ravenous wolves, their frenzied shouts drowning out his cries for help. The sight of him being dragged to the guillotine was unbearable, and as they prepared to remove his head from his lifeless body, the weight of despair crashed down on her.

The stone slipped from Ava fingers and she fell to the ground with a hollow thud. She sank to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably. “Why would you show me this? Why did you just let him die?” she cried, each word choked with anguish. The emptiness of the room mirrored the void in her heart, amplifying her sense of betrayal and loss.

Suddenly, a familiar voice resonated through the stone, and a bright light illuminated the entire library, casting long shadows that danced across the walls. “The end of life is but a great unfolding,” the voice echoed, wrapping around her like a comforting shroud. 

As the light dimmed, the stone revealed a new scene on the triangular face: a group of mob members huddled in a dark room, their faces twisted in anger and desperation as they fumbled with the stone, trying to make sense of its power. Their frantic shouts echoed off the walls, a cacophony of chaos. 

Then, like a specter, the entity materialized before them, its presence commanding and serene. It activated the loud tone, a blinding flash erupting in the room, sending the mob sprawling to the ground, unconscious. The entity then glided over to the table, effortlessly securing the artifact before disappearing as swiftly as it had arrived.

Ava gazed at the footage in amazement, her heart racing. The revelation filled her with a flicker of hope, but as she scanned the library for the entity, she found it had completely vanished from her presence. Desperate, she raced down the library staircase, her feet pounding against the marble steps. She burst into the outer courtyard, the night air crisp against her skin, but the entity's disc-like craft bolted off across the sky, leaving behind only the lingering echo of its presence.

Standing alone beneath the vast expanse of the night sky, Ava felt a strange mixture of grief and hope swirling within her. The stars twinkled like distant promises, yet she felt utterly isolated, the weight of her sorrow pressing down on her. The memory of James lingered, a bittersweet reminder of the sacrifice made in the name of a greater cause. With the Resonance Stone still on the ground before her, she realized that even in death, James's legacy could spark change. 

As she stared into the empty night sky, the enormity of her loss loomed heavy, but deep down, she understood that she could not let despair consume her. There was still a battle to fight, still a chance to honor James’s memory. The darkness around her felt oppressive, but within that darkness, she began to kindle a flicker of resolve, a determination to rise from the ashes of grief and forge a path forward.